It took Wests Tigers young gun Mitchell Moses only eight minutes to prove he has a big future in the NRL.
In Moses's first grade debut on Sunday, Penrith five-eighth Jamie Soward sent a towering bomb the fill-in fullback's way early into the Panthers round-17, 26-10 win.
Many of the Leichhardt Oval faithful packed onto the famous hill would have surely lost sight of the Steeden as it spiralled up into the cool July afternoon sky.
Down it came with arguably the game's best kick-chase team bearing down on 19-year-old Moses before he gobbled up the testing take with ease.
"I feel pretty comfortable under the high ball so I was hoping they'd bomb me. It was good," Moses said post-game.
"I guess it would have been better if we got the two points. But on the positive side I made my debut at Leichhardt, it doesn't get any better than that."
Tigers coach Mick Potter, a veteran of more than 200 first grade games for Canterbury, St George and the Western Reds, said Moses, filling in for the injured James Tedesco, had shown he has what it takes.
"I thought he showed what potential he's got there," Potter said.
"He's quick and elusive and playing the fullback role you've got to be brave. I think he's one of those players that could play that position as well as others."
With the Tigers' injury toll mounting, former Australian Schoolboys Moses, who can also play five-eighth, could make the fullback spot his own with Tedesco out for the season.
Five-eighth Braith Anasta looks set for a stint on the sidelines due to a biceps injury.
Potter indicated the in-form utility Blake Austin would like get first crack there, but Moses may be another option alongside Luke Brooks in the halves.
The nephew of Tigers great Ben Elias, Moses was slated for his NRL debut in early May, but was suspended for two games after making a homophobic slur in the Under-20s State of Origin fixture.
"That was pretty tough," he said.
"But I knew it was around the corner. I just kept playing the way I was playing and there was no excuses why I shouldn't make my debut now."
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